Neighborworks America Announces New Neighborhood Marketing And Branding Initiative To Help Communities Hurt By The Housing Crisis Attract New Investment And Residents

July 26, 2012

Washington, D.C. – July 26, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — NeighborWorks America, a national nonprofit corporation that creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities, today announced a new initiative aimed at helping communities better market themselves in order to bolster housing demand and increase private sector investment. Sixteen communities from around the country were selected for the first stage of the program. The neighborhood marketing initiative fulfills the corporation’s pledge made recently at the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) meeting in June.

The sixteen organizations will work intensively over the next three months with expert marketing consultants and local stakeholders to develop marketing plans for their target neighborhoods. These plans will include strategies to help the organizations reposition the neighborhoods’ image and brand in their regional housing markets.

NeighborWorks America CEO Eileen Fitzgerald describes the initiative as a natural extension of the corporation’s existing leadership in helping residents, local nonprofits and other businesses bounce back from the foreclosure crisis.

“Community stabilization and community growth are at the heart of what NeighborWorks America has supported for nearly 35 years,” said Fitzgerald. “We recognize how important it is for communities to be seen as great places to live and work. That’s why our commitment will help NeighborWorks organizations and their local partners in communities around the U.S. present their best attributes, retain residents, attract new sustainable homeowners and build the vibrant community that is possible.”

Early analysis suggests communities hard hit by foreclosure face challenges of weak image and poor public perception, causing many prospective homebuyers, renters and small businesses to be wary of putting down roots in these neighborhoods. This is too often the case despite an abundance of affordable homes, attractive amenities, and active, engaged residents.

“The NeighborWorks America commitment to community stabilization includes using all available tools to bring people into neighborhoods for the long term,” said Fitzgerald. “We’re excited to be able to support this work and to help foster creative solutions that mean better living for everyone.”

NeighborWorks Program Participants and Featured Neighborhoods

Argenta Community Development Corporation, Baring Cross Neighborhood, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Community Housing Initiatives, Washington Neighborhood, Dubuque, Iowa
Homeport (formerly Columbus Housing Partnership, Inc.), American Addition Neighborhood, Columbus, Ohio
Hudson River Housing, Inc., Middle Main Neighborhood, Poughkeepsie, New York
Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, Inc., Edgemoor Gardens, New Castle County, Delaware
La Casa de Don Pedro, Lower Broadway Neighborhood, Newark, New Jersey
NeighborWorks Great Falls, Great Falls Downtown Area, Great Falls, Montana
NeighborWorks Waco, East Waco Neighborhood, Waco, Texas
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Inc., West Humboldt Neighborhood, Chicago, Illinois
Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, Inc., Newhallville Neighborhood, New Haven, Connecticut
Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans, Inc., Freret Neighborhood, New Orleans, Louisiana
Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida, Brownsville Neighborhood, Miami-Dade County, Florida
Southwest Solutions, Hubbard Communities/Mexicantown, Detroit, Michigan
St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society, East Camden Neighborhood, Camden, New Jersey
The Primavera Foundation, Inc., City of South Tucson, South Tucson, Arizona
Twin Cities Community Development Corporation, Elm Street Neighborhood, Fitchburg, Massachusetts

About NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.

About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,100 commitments, which are already improving the lives of nearly 400 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $69.2 billion.
CGI’s Annual Meeting is held each September in New York City. CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

About CGI America
President Clinton established the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) to address economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting in June 2011, CGI America participants have made more than 160 commitments valued at $12.8 billion when fully funded and implemented. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

Contact:
Doug Robinson

202-220-2360